Rail vehicles may include multiple powered units, such as locomotives, that are mechanically coupled or linked together in a consist. The consist of powered units operates to provide tractive and/or braking efforts to propel and stop movement of the rail vehicle. The powered units in the consist may change the supplied tractive and/or braking efforts based on a data message that is communicated to the powered units. For example, the supplied tractive and/or braking efforts may be based on Positive Train Control (PTC) instructions or control information for an upcoming trip. The control information may be used by a software application to determine the speed of the rail vehicle for various segments of an upcoming trip of the rail vehicle.
A goal in the operation of the locomotives in a train is to eliminate the need for an operator on-board the train. In order to achieve the goal of providing automatic train operation (ATO), a reliable control system must be provided in order to transmit train control commands and other data indicative of operational characteristics associated with various subsystems of the locomotive consists between the train and an off-board server (sometimes located at a “back office”). The data regarding on-board equipment operational characteristics may be gathered in real-time and constantly updated and stored for use in controlling, monitoring, and enhancing operations of the train. The control system must be capable of transmitting data messages having the information used to control the tractive and/or braking efforts of the rail vehicle and the operational characteristics of the various consist subsystems while the rail vehicle is moving. The control system must also be able to transmit information regarding a detected fault on-board a locomotive, and respond with control commands to reset the fault.
One example of a train that includes a control system that allows the transfer of control commands from a lead locomotive to a remote locomotive is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,364,338 of Peltonen et al. that issued on Jan. 29, 2013 (“the '338 patent”). In particular, the '338 patent discloses a system and method for remotely administering a fault detected on an unmanned powered system that is controlled through a lead powered system. The method includes detecting an operational fault on an unmanned powered system, communicating information about the fault to the lead powered system through a wireless communication protocol, and communicating a reset message to the unmanned powered system.
Although useful in allowing for control of an unmanned remote trailing locomotive in a train by wireless signals sent from a lead locomotive of the train, the system of the '338 patent may be limited. In particular, the '338 patent does not provide a way for automatically maintaining, backing up, and updating the on-board equipment operational data. A failure, repair, or replacement of an on-board central processing module and associated memory may result in the loss of important on-board equipment operational data necessary for control of the locomotive.
The present disclosure is directed at overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.